1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the configuration of the outer surface or cover of golf balls, and particularly to such designs which relate to the pattern of the dimpled surface area of the ball in combination with elongated grooves which are able to interlock with grooves in a golf club face so as to increase the backspin and improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the ball when making tee shots.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A pioneer patent in the art of golf balls is the Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 878,254 of Feb. 4, 1908 which taught for the first time that the outer surface of a golf ball should be provided with a plurality of spaced dimples which substantially cover the outer surface. The advantage of this dimpled surface is that it gives stability in flight and also increased lift to the ball. In the words of the Taylor patent, "Its principal object is to obtain better results in the flight of the ball in the direction of a sustained hanging flight giving a flat trajectory with a slight rising tendency particularly toward the end of the flight, than have been possible with balls of known types." A smooth surfaced ball that is driven by a given force at a given angle would stay in the air only 2 seconds, while the Taylor dimpled ball would stay in the air 5 seconds for a good wood shot. This is due to the turbulent air action caused by the dimples on the forward moving ball which is back-spinning. The Taylor dimples take advantage of the Bernoulli Effect, which is well known in the science of aerodynamics, to create a vacuum over the top surface of the ball which causes the ball to rise and have a longer "hang" time in flight. The teachings in this Taylor patent are believed to be found in every golf ball on the market at the present time.
The Beldam U.S. Pat. No. 1,681,167 describes the surface configuration of a golf ball where the primary object is to provide a form or character of surface by which a better "grip" of the club with the ball is obtained without slip or relative movement. Also the surface configuration furnishes a better "grip" of the "green", and hence a truer run. The outer surface is filled with rectangular recesses that are surrounded by cross ribs.
The Nepela et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,190 describes in FIG. 4 a golf ball having a central, continuous band of depressions positioned between two polar regions, each region having a relatively smooth surface. The depressions are formed by a series of grooves which extend from one smooth polar region to the other smooth polar region. The ridges, which separate adjacent grooves, combine with the grooves to create turbulence thereby to increase the film of air spinning with the ball as did the dimples in the earlier modifications of this Nepela et al patent. It should be appreciated that this modification of FIG. 4 of the Nepela et al patent contains no dimples in addition to the grooves. Moreover, the two ends of each groove do not appear to be reduced as is taught in the present invention.
The Kempshall U.S. Pat. No. 922,773 describes a golf ball which has a surface configuration that possesses considerable anti-slipping properties. There are a series of projecting bands comprising alternating wider and narrower portions, where the wider portions have circular dimples therein, and protuberances within the said dimples.
The Farrar U.S. Pat. No. 2,135,210 describes a golf ball having alternate parallel grooves extending continuously around the ball and having their boundaries defined by true circles. This Farrar ball has no dimples. If this ball were hit from the fairway it would most likely have an unpredictable flight pattern.